New test of the mechanical behavior of concrete structures

In 2017, the CSTB developed a device and a new test protocol for the structural stability of buildings. They precisely characterize the phenomenon of concrete beam shear failure. In 2018, this work will result in a patent application and be extended by a thesis. The ultimate goal is to offer building industry stakeholders an optimized design method for concrete structures.

What’s the scientific and technical challenge? Current methods used around the world are designed to size concrete beams according to vertical loads. They do not always consider whether a concrete beam can support additional horizontal force. This can be the case, for example, in a fire or seismic event. The CSTB’s research focused on the behavior of beams exposed to both loads simultaneously. This is essential to developing a precise prediction method for the phenomenon of rupture.

Image correlation to observe the behavior of a concrete beam subjected to several mechanical loads. Image: CSTB